Temperatures have been forecast to exceed 40C in parts of Spain next week
A rare heatwave warning has been issued for parts of Spain (Image: Getty Images)
UK holidaymakers in Spain are being warned of a rare heatwave warning that has been issued by the Spanish weather agency.
State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a heatwave alert that from Sunday, August 3, which will remain in place until “at least” Tuesday, August 5.
It comes as large parts of Spain is under a high risk of wildfires, becoming more of a risk as temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend.
AEMET’s warning reads: “After tomorrow (August 1), when the most significant instability will be felt in the central and southeastern quadrants of the Iberian Peninsula due to the passage of a high-altitude disturbance, a slight to moderate rise in temperatures will begin this weekend and will become widespread over the following days, leading to a likely heat wave.
“On Sunday the 3, highs will already exceed 38°C fairly widely in the southwest quadrant, reaching 40-42°C in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys.
Firefighters have been tackling wildfires in Spain(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
“The peak day of the heat wave is expected to be Monday the 4th, when the temperature increases will continue and extend into the interior of the Cantabrian coast, where they could be locally significant.
“During this day, temperatures close to 40°C will also be recorded in the Tagus and Miño valleys, with a high of 42°C very likely around the Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers.”
By Tuesday, August 4, there is expected to be a “considerable drop” in temperatures.
AEMET continues: “Furthermore, throughout the episode, temperatures will be high in the western part of the northern plateau and in the northeastern depressions, reaching 37-39°C in these areas starting Monday.
“This threshold could also be exceeded in the Júcar and Segura valleys, especially at the end of the period. Although the temperature trend in the Canary Islands could be upward starting Monday the 4, the archipelago is not expected to meet the criteria for a heat wave.
“Although the rise in minimum temperatures will not be as widespread or pronounced, it will be sufficient to make night-time temperatures significant in the coming days. In fact, temperatures are not expected to drop below 23-25°C in large areas of the central and southern peninsula, mainly on Monday and Tuesday.”
With the extreme temperatures, there is a higher likelihood of wildfires(Image: Getty Images)
Thousands of firefighters in Spain and Portugal are currently battling an ongoing wave of wildfires, some of which have been burning for days as temperatures are expected to rise in the Iberian Peninsula.
In central Spain, firefighters and a special military unit worked overnight to control blazes in the province of Avila, focusing on confining a fire burning near the village of El Arenal, about 100km (62 miles) west of Madrid, emergency services said.
In the western province of Caceres, local authorities said firefighters had largely stabilised a fire that affected some 2,500 hectares (roughly 6,178 acres).